Automatic trash dispenser



May 17, 1966 c413. PARKS AUTOMATIC TRASH DISPENSER Filed Aug. 14, 1964 INVENTOR. 6755/22 5. 242/6 dime/v5 Y5.

United States Patent 3,251,486 AUTOMATIC TRASH DISPENSER Chester B. Parks, 1502 Sylvan Drive, Abilene, Tex. Filed Aug. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 389,674 Claims. (Cl. 214-16) This invention relates to an automatic trash dispenser and more particularly to a device for conveying trash from the interior of a house to an outside trash receiver, preferably located at the alley.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of a device of the type described which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and eificient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, utilize, and maintain.

Another object of this invention is to provide a trash dispenser which is adapted to receive trash from some convenient location within a house and carry the same automatically to a receiver outside the house, and located specifically at the alley, or any convenient place between the house and the alley, where it may be stored for eventual disposal.

A further object of this invention is to provide an auto matic trash dispenser which feeds trash to an outside receiver having a lid communicating with the interior of the same to facilitate emptying the receiver, and including means to preclude unauthorized entry into the house through the trash dispenser from the receiver.

Gther and further objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangement of parts, and features of con struction.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and as shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view showing the automatic trash dispenser of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing, an automatic trash dispenser in accordance with the instant invention is designated generally by the reference numeral and comprises basically an elongated conveyor means 12, a major portion of which extends below grade level 14, a trash receiver 16 outside of a house 18 with a lid 20 on the trash receiver communicating with the interior of the same above grade level 14 to facilitate emptying the receiver, a door 22 hingedly carried by the trash receiver and in communication with the interior of the same, one end 24 of the conveyor means 12 being juxtaposed to the door 22, the other end 26 of the conveyor means underlying a floor 28 in the house 18, a trap door 30 in the fioor 28 overlying the other end 26 of the conveyor means 12 for receiving a box of trash shown in dotted lines at 32 therethrough, means 34 to actuate the conveyor means 12, and means 36 to automatically open the door 22 in the trash receiver 16 on approach of a box of trash 32. i

The conveyor means 12 includes a first continuous belt 38 rotatably supported on spaced rollers 40, 42 and extending substantially horizontally with the end 26 underlying the trap door 30, and a second continuous belt 44 supported on rollers 46, 48 and inclined to the horizontal with one end 50 juxtaposed to the opposite end 52 of the first continuous belt 38 and its other end 24 juxtaposed to the door 22 and the trash receiver 16. Each of the rollers 40, 42, 46, and 48 are supported in conventional 3,251,486 Patented May 17, 1966 bearings 54 carried by the foundation 56. Each belt 38, 40 includes a plurality of upstanding, spaced, transversely extending, cleat members 58 to engage behind a box of trash 32 and push the same in the direction of movement of the conveyor means 12.

A connecting means in the form of a belt 60 operatively interconnects the roller 40 of the first belt means 38 with the roller 48 of the second belt means 44. The means to actuate the conveyor means includes a motor means 62 drivingly engaging through gear reduction means 64 the roller 42 of the first belt 38, the connecting means 60 automatically driving-the second belt 44 as the first belt is driven. Any conventional control means 66 may be conveniently positioned near the trapdoor 30 for actuating through conduit 68 the motor means 62.

The trap door 30 is hingedly supported at 70 preferably beneath a counter or the like 72 in the kitchen of the house 18 and is movable to the open position shown in dotted lines at 30' in FIGURE 1 to receive a box of trash 32 for placement on the conveyor means 12.

The means 36 for automatically opening the door 22 in the trash receiver 16 includes a switch means 74 of any conventional form having an actuating member 76 in the path of travel of a box of trash 32 and interconnected (not shown) to a solenoid means 78 to energize the same on engagement by the box of trash. A piston 80 forming the core of the solenoid means 78 is operatively connected to the door 22 to open the same as shown at 22' in FIGURE 1 on energization of the solenoid means 78.

The use and operation of the device of the instant invention will now be apparent. Whenever a box of trash is to be disposed of, the user merely raises the trap door 30 to the position 30' and drops the box of trash onto the conveyor means 12. The control means 66 is then engaged to actuate the motor means 64 and to thereby drive the conveyor means 12 transporting the box 32 down the first belt 38 and up the second belt 44 until it engages the actuating member 76 on the switch means 74 whereby the solenoid means 78 is energized to extend the piston 80 and open the door 22 to the position 22' in the trash receiver 16. When the box 32 has passed the actuating member 76 of the switch means 74, the piston 80 is automatically withdrawn by the solenoid means 78 to positively close the door 22 against entrance from without.

Emptying of the trash receiver 16 is readily accomplished.

- by raising the lid 20 in an obvious manner.

The entire conveyor means 12 may be enclosed in a casing 82 of aluminum, steel or other desired material.

It will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved automatic trash dispenser which satisfies all the objectives of the instant invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and since many modifications may be made of the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be inter preted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. An automatic house trash dispenser comprising an elongated conveyor means, a major portion of which extends below grade level, a trash receiver outside of the house, a lid communicating with the interior of said trash receiver above grade level to facilitate emptying the same, a door hingedly carried by said trash receiver and in communication with the interior of the same, one end of said conveyor means being juxtaposed to said door in said trash receiver, the other end of said conveyor means underlying a floor in the house, a trap door in the floor overlying said other end of said conveyor means for re O ceiving a box of trash therethrough, means to actuate said conveyor means, and means to automatically open said door on said trash receiver on approach of a box of trash.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said conveyor means includes a continuous belt having a plurality of upstanding spaced, transversely extending, cleat members to engage a box of trash on said belt and push the same in the direction of movement of said conveyor means.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said conveyor means includes a first continuous belt extending substantially horizontally and having one end underlying said trap door, and a second continuous belt inclined to the horizontal and having one endjuxtaposed to the opposite end of said first continuous belt and having its other end juxtaposed to said door in said trash receiver. 7

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said means to actuate said conveyor means includes spaced rollers supporting said first belt, spaced rollers supporting said second belt, motor means drivingly engaging one of said rollers supporting said first belt, connecting means operatively interconnecting another of said rollers supporting said first belt with one of said rollers supporting said second engagement of said switch means with a box of trash,

and piston means forming the core of said solenoid means and operatively connected to said door in said trash receiver to open the same on energization of said solenoid means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1900 McCartney 2l416 XR 3/1911 Messlin 198-43 XR GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

R. G. SHERIDAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN AUTOMATIC HOUSE TRASH DISPENSER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CONVEYOR MEANS, A MAJOR PORTION OF WHICH EXTENDS BELOW GRADE LEVEL, A TRASH RECEIVER OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE, A LID COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID TRASH RECEIVER ABOVE GRADE LEVEL TO FACILITATE EMPTYING THE SAME, A DOOR HINGEDLY CARRIED BY SAID TRASH RECEIVER AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE SAME, ONE END OF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS BEING JUXTAPOSED TO SAID DOOR IN SAID TRASH RECEIVER, THE OTHER END OF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS UNDERLYING A FLOOR IN THE HOUSE, A TRAP DOOR IN THE FLOOR OVERLYING SAID OTHER END OF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS FOR RECEIVING A BOX OF TRASH THERETHROUGH, MEANS TO ACTUATE SAID CONVEYOR MEANS, AND MEANS TO AUTOMATICALLY OPEN SAID DOOR ON SAID TRASH RECEIVER ON APPROACH OF A BOX OF TRASH. 